Mercurial Roses
by freakypencils
Summary: After all the bitter words, what does Mercutio really feel towards Rosaline? Mercutio/Rosaline, set at the night of the party. :P
1. Part I

Author's Note:

Who isn't familiar with Shakespeare, much less the very celebrated Tragedie of Twoe Loverf we now know as Romeo and Juliet? I read the play as a report for my First Year. Needless to say, Mercutio became my favorite character. He really was, honestly, one of the most interesting characters there, even overshadowing the title characters. I started writing this in my First Year (still am in my First Year :P) because I was exploring non-canon couples, and this was my most favored among those I found (including some Yaoi…).

Mercutio/Rosaline? It's very plausible. I even asked my English teacher about it, and she confirmed they might've been each other's type. Mercutio, of a roughly rebellious sort, and Rosaline being the heart-stealing celibate. And it's rather unique.

As I say, enough of my babbling. Let's get this show on the road.

Neither Mercutio nor Rosaline belong to me, they belong to the Bard himself.

--

Prologue Poetry

Fights and frays and bloodshed pass

My sullen? Salty? Sultry? Lass…

Come death and discord! How thou may!

Yet you stole my heart that fateful day

Must duty be so strong as this?

That I can't steal a paltry kiss?

--

_These Capulets may be the most wretched race of rat-catching idiots I ever had the misery to identify_, thought Mercutio, _but they know how to throw a decent celebration._

He surfed through the welling, waving crowd, and spotted Benvolio drowning within it, conversing with a young girl. The three had entered the party together; now they were hopelessly separated amongst the throng of people.

Finally Mercutio caught up with his friend, and excused him from the young woman. Benvolio, at first his eyes horrified behind his simple-red domino mask, breathed a sigh of relief upon recognizing his friend's long-nosed disguise.

"What?" Benvolio demanded, having been pulled so abruptly from his already open conversation.

"I can't find Romeo," panicked Mercutio.

"So? He can take care of himself," Benvolio replied. "He'll turn up."

Mercutio opened his mouth, but Benvolio wrenched himself free to soon for him to say anything else. The eldest of the three took one last look around the vicinity with no effect of finding the middle Romeo, before subsiding into the multitude wearily.

He sighed, and turned – and, in a coincidence, spotted someone familiar heading out the doors to the veranda.

Although she faced her back to him, she was recognizably slender, around Romeo's height, of his age. Her dark russet hair was bundled into a blue-green and silver headdress that matched her blue-green and silver costume.

Mercutio couldn't help but strain his eyes further, even step closer to have a look. Then she turned her pale neck, and he froze in his tracks.

Rosaline was masked by a silver butterfly that only covered the upper part of her face, but her captivating olive eyes betrayed her identity and glimmered through distinctively. She smiled her charming, blushing beam. She disappeared, the night enveloping her perfect figure as the doors slowly shut behind her.


	2. Part II

_Hey, Moon,_

_Please forget to fall down_

_Hey, Moon,_

_Don't you fall down._

- Panic! At the Disco

--

Immediately upon her exit, Rosaline removed her mask and brought out her fan.

_The room is ablaze_, she thought, taking as much cool evening air as she could.

The night was refreshing, and the dark shrubbery in front of her spotted with flames of gold from the serene fireflies that inhabited her uncle's courtyards. She was alone… in the interim.

The doors creaked open, flooding the veranda with light. She returned the mask in its place, half-covering her face again.

"God give you a good evening, milady," said a male voice behind her.

"To you as well, gentleman," replied Rosaline politely, not turning from her reverie.

"And how fares the lady at this hour that she exits the room a-flushed? Is it the heat of the scope within?" said the voice.

Rosaline turned cautiously, and shrouded her surprise as much as possible. Mercutio was casually leaning upon the weathered stone wall, mask up and eyes gazing straightforward, head turned towards the direction of the woodland nearby.

"Very well, thank you for your concern," said Rosaline, hastily folding her fan. "Now I am quite replenished, thank you, and I must come inside, if you don't mind." And she picked up her skirts, heading towards the glass door.

Mercutio leaned his right arm on the wall, blocking the entrance.

"Aren't you the girl who fills my Romeo with woe, having rejected his advances so?" Mercutio asked.

"I'm sorry, sir, but does a lady not have the right to do whatever she wants?" Rosaline said, trying not to look at his eyes.

"Clever lady," said Mercutio. "But why fear on thy fair face? I have no malicious intentions, vow to the Virgin, swearing by the Saints. And of course you do. There can be no man to stop a girl's intents."

"Then I must have the right to pass through this door, kind sir," she said, "And no fear on my face, I assure you."

"Is that so?" said Mercutio. "Well, good my lady, if it may not be much of a bother, may I ask to see your face unmasked to prove this?"

Rosaline shivered and began, "Malicious intentions…"

"…Are not mine to intend. I am a gentleman, I vow to the Virgin, swear by the Saints," finished and said Mercutio, "and God so help me, may I be cursed with a pestilence if I thought such. By what else should I guarantee?"

"By none else, sir," Rosaline affirmed, and, hands shaking, lifted her mask.

Mercutio's heart spun furiously within his ribcage.

Uncontrollably, his grip on the wall loosened, and he leaned back to hide the reaction. Without another word Rosaline concealed her face again, and slipped through the doors.

Mercutio fell, shambled and stunned, heavy onto the stone floor, eyes blankly staring into the dark. Not until now had he really behold her face as close.

He couldn't blame Romeo now – she was heaven smiling upon his lowly countenance, his miserable persona no worth to regard her splendor. With trembling hands he replaced his mask, and, legs tremulous under a weightier bundle of skin and bones and muscle than was seeming before, stood up.

He slipped through the doors.

And, close by, Rosaline was watching.


	3. Part III

Who'd have thought… me falling in love with Rosaline?

The very lady to whom bitter words are targeted. Who'd have thought I'd fall for _her_?

Who'd have thought she would've been _that_ beautiful?

--

I loved – no, _love_ him…

Then I don't…

Isn't he the reason I rejected Romeo? Isn't he the reason I attended this God-forsaken revelry, that I saw his name upon the list? Bloody idiot!

Damn it all! Aren't I sworn to chaste?

But then…

I am an idiot to _ever_ love such a man… but _frustrating _as loving him may be…

I do.


	4. Part IV

"Mercutio!" Benvolio hissed, as he saw his friend inch closer. "What happened? All the guests are leaving and there's no sign of Romeo."

"He'll turn up."

"What? And what happened to you? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"N-nothing…" said Mercutio. "But he shouldn't be far. No harm in looking."

"Right," said Benvolio. "Come on."

Mercutio turned his head around once, hoping once again to catch a glimpse of _her_, but no such luck.

--

_I conjure thee by Rosaline's bright eyes, _

_By her high forehead and her scarlet lip,_

_By her fine foot, straight leg, and quivering thigh,_

_And the demesnes that there adjacent lie…_

Oh, how he plucked these very words from his own desires

And wrong thou art, Romeo, for accusing woundless scars.


	5. Part V

--

Author's Note:

My gracious thanks to slimmmeiske2, who pointed out in a review that parts 4 and 5 were the same… ^^; sorry for the inconvenience, and thanks again, slimmmeiske2!

--

Mercutio ventured through the city alone, due to his house. His mask was still on.

The streets were dim and lonely, and his companions had left him long ago. Now it was Mercutio and his torch.

Rosaline masked, and with a torch. Rosaline alone.

"A lady alone, in this late an hour?" Mercutio bellowed, making out a figure not far away. Female, yes, but swathed heavily in a cloak.

Rosaline froze, recognizing the voice.

She spun around, and, indeed, saw Mercutio walking not too far away. "Does a lady not have the right to do whatever she wants?" she bellowed back.

Now it was Mercutio's turn to freeze, remembering a recent conversation. "Rosaline," he said, unconsciously, more to himself than to her.

"Er – I apologize for my behavior just earlier tonight…" he said, in a weaker tone. "If the lady is gracious to forgive."

"There is no need to apologize, but I'll gladly forgive," said Rosaline.

_Do it, you bloody idiot._

_Do it._

_Damn it all._

"If I may be so bold to say," Mercutio said. "You looked… rather beautiful tonight."

_WHAT. _Rosaline's cheeks burned. "Thank you," said she. "And as were you rather dashing."

"Er – if I may be so bold to request," Mercutio continued. "To accompany the lady home?"

"Oh, no," said Rosaline. "I possibly couldn't accept…"

But the man was already running forward. "But I insist," said he, and no sooner was he at her side. "At this time of night neither gentleman nor lady are safe alone."

"Thank you kindly…" Rosaline shyly responded.

They strolled into the dark together, silently, ridiculously.

Two bloody idiots in masks.


	6. Epilogue

_Don't just leave_

_Me_

_Hangin' on._

- Colbie Callait

--

"Again," said she, curtsying to Mercutio. "Thank you kindly."

"No need to," Mercutio said. "It's rather late now, anyway, so… yes."

They looked at each other for a while, before Mercutio bowed low and turned on his heel.

_YOU BLOODY IDIOT!_

He hadn't gone three steps when, wordlessly, Rosaline stepped forward, turned him around to face her again. She took his mask by the nose, and lifted it up, seeing an astonished, crooked, _beloved _grin. She smiled at him, and tore off her own mask. He didn't flinch – it was all too sudden...

She held him by the head and held him close and

Kissed him, full and fiery on the lips.

He was bewildered, surprised, afraid, eyes wide open. Then he took her by the waist, closed his eyes, and kissed her in return.


End file.
